bairn, as you are. After my ain lad,
Neil, I'm expecting naething oot o' the Nazareth o' Culraine. We were
a' going to shout o'er Neil Ruleson--weel, we hae had our cry, and
dried our eyes, and hae gane on our way again."

"Neil has done weel--considering."

"Gudeman, we hae better drop that 'consideration.' I was talking o'
our Jamie. What are they going to gie our second wonder o' a bairn?"

"The maist beautiful book you ever saw--a big copy of Robinson Crusoe
fu' o' pictures, and bound in blue wi' gold lettering. The bairn will
hae wonder after wonder wi' it."

"Did you buy the book?"

"Not I. What mak's you ask that information?"

"Naething. Jamie should hae had something he could hae halfed wi'
Christine. She has spent the best o' her hours teaching the bairn. Few
or nane o' the lads and lasses would hae the help o' any hame lessons.
It was really Christine put Neil Ruleson among her Majesty's
lawyers."

"Weel, then, she'll do her pairt in putting James Ruleson among the
ministers o' the everlasting God. That will be a great honor, and pay
her handsome for a' her love and labor."

"Gudeman, ministers arena honored as they were when we were young. If
preaching were to go oot o' fashion, we----"

"What are you saying, Margot Ruleson? The preacher's license is to the
'end o' the warld.' The Word o' the Lord must be gien to men, as long
as men people the earth."

"Vera weel! The Word o' the Lord is in everybody's hands the now; and
everyone is being taught to read it. Maist folk can read it as weel as
the minister."

"The Word must be made flesh! Nae book can tak' the place o' the
face-to-face argument. Preaching will last as long as men live."

"Weel, weel, I'm not going to get you to arguing. You arena in the
clubroom, and I'm too tired to go into speculations wi' you. I'm
obliged to you, gudeman, for the information you hae imparted. I wad,
however, advise the Domine to gie his next secret into the keeping o'
some woman, say mysel'. Women arena sae amiable as men, and whiles
they can keep a secret, which is a thing impossible to men-folk."

"If they are married, I'll admit there are difficulties."

"Gude night, and gude dreams to you, James Ruleson."

"Ye ken weel, Margot, that I never dream."

"Sae you lose the half o' your life, James. I'm sorry for you. I shall
dream o' the three happy bairns, and their prizes. Say, you might hae
picked out another lassie; twa lads to one lass is o'erganging